rallyraid

My search and ad looking for a co-driver to go with me in Dakar 2016, has resulted in many responses.
Many candidates had good mechanical qualification and adventurous spirit. Few had the navigational skills. Even fewer had the budget to pay the Dakar entry fee.

But only one candidate had all of the above.
I found my co-driver – Bert Heskes from Holland.

And this weekend I am in England to meet up with him for the first time. We are meeting Paul Round in team RallyRaid’s workshop where we are also prepping the Desert Warrior rally car.

The Organizers of the Dakar have acknowledged the final decision of the Peruvian authorities to cancel the stages of the 2016 Dakar that was planned to pass through Peru.

Due to forecasts concerning the El Nino weather phenomenon, which is expected to be extremely violent this year, the Peruvian government has decided to make this issue a national priority by ensuring that all state services are able to mobilize if necessary to help the population that could be affected.

While hoping that the people of Peru will not have to face these predicted disasters, the entire Dakar organizing team is already hard at work to create an alternative route with optimal sporting and safety conditions both in Argentina and Bolivia.

The Dakar organizing team is at the disposal of all the competitors who have already entered to provide all relative information concerning these route changes in a timely manner.

The final route of the 2016 Dakar will be announced in the second half of September.

This afternoon it was the official podium ceremony. Thousands and thousands of spectators waving and celebrating the start of the Dakar 2015 in Buenos Aires.
Already me and Paul had to help a fellow competitor, from the parc fermé.
The car starting behind us, no 395, had forgot their key and were risking to miss their start time, so we towed him to the starting gates. Luckily the key was found, and they could take the start. But this is how it should be in Dakar, helping each other – that’s Dakar spirit!

Below our cool car Desert warrior 394, and me and friends. And photos of the ceremony. Video link on bottom.